Setting the Stage Women's Network is the brainchild of Denver, CO-based singer/songwriter and public speaker Julie Geller. As a performing musician, Julie understands that music is about connecting people both to themselves and to each other. And, as someone who has worked consistently for over two decades on developing her own dream to be a professional musician, she appreciates the amount of dedication and consistent hard work that it takes to makes our dreams a reality.

In 2016, while performing a women's-only concert, Julie noticed how much members of the audience enjoyed meeting and connecting with each other. She understood how much the women in the room had to offer each other both in terms of professional and personal opportunities.

"Hmmmm..." thought Julie, "What if we really connect these women to each other? What if we combine women's concerts with opportunities to connect? And, because hearing other people's journeys give us guidance on our own, what if we also bring one of the women in the room - arranged in advance - up on stage at every event and interview her about her life's work?"

And so, Setting the Stage was born. Setting the Stage combines music and storytelling that open our hearts so that we can truly connect with ourselves and the other women in the room. Through those connections, we can both meet those who can guide us toward achieving our own dreams, as well as help others achieve theirs.

Elaine Appleton Grant speaks with Kari Knudson about the eight years it took her to formulate and produce her one-woman show.

MEET THE DREAM TEAM

Patricia Sandler

Program Designer and Dream Maker

Trained as an ethnomusicologist, Patricia has wide and varied experience as a program designer in the arts and humanities, with a focus on professional development. She has worked with individuals, corporations, and universities helping people realize their dreams. By challenging her clients to rethink the assumptions that limit their creativity and goals, she helps them find insightful connections among seemingly unrelated ideas.

Elaine Appleton Grant

Producer, Podcaster, and Story Maven

Elaine Appleton Grant spent two decades as a magazine journalist, but she had a secret, burning desire to be on the radio. Thirteen years after first falling in love with public radio, she made the switch. Today, Elaine has worked as a producer, reporter, and host at stations in Boston, New Hampshire and Colorado. One More Shot is her podcast exploring what it takes to achieve long-held dreams, featuring interviews with people who are making their wishes come true. She conducts live tapings of her podcast during Setting the Stage events.

Over the past decade, the boom in women’s meet-ups for every taste and budget has mirrored the growth of woman-owned businesses, with more than 8 million female-led firms nationwide. But many female leaders are looking to make more than merely loose contacts over cocktails; some are seeking meaningful connections, shared interests and lifelong friendships. And that’s why radio producer and journalist Elaine Grant and musician Julie Geller teamed up as the talents behind a new act in town – Setting the Stage. MORE

Three Crazy-Creative Denver Women Deserving of Your ‘Girl Crush’

By Kyle Dyer, The Broadview Denver

I walked into my first ‘women’s only’ networking event not really knowing what to expect.

Actually, “Setting the Stage” is referred to as a ‘connecting event’ so that it sounds less businessy. Beyond traditional networking, “Setting the Stage” offers a platform for creative performance, meeting new people and connecting with women who are pursuing their own artistic passions. MORE